Wildlife Viewing

There are numerous places throughout the park for optimal wildlife viewing.

Plan Around Wildlife Viewing

A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.

Add to trip View park guide

Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.

Wildlife Viewing Details

There are numerous places throughout the park for wildlife viewing. Visitors should always keep a safe distance when viewing wildlife, and respect their habitat. This includes keeping at least 100 yards from bears and wolves, and at least 25 yards from all other animals. Please do not feed or entice animals with food. Oxbow Bend, which is about one mile east of Jackson Lake Junction, is known for river otter, beavers, muskrats, moose, and the occasional elk. It also has osprey, bald eagles, and American white pelicans. The Snake River, which runs from Jackson Lake to Moose Lake, typically has elk and bison grazing near the riverbank, with beaver and moose eating along the shoreline. Bald eagles, osprey, and great blue heron are also found in this area. Mormon Row is a large open area north of Moose Junction. Visitors often see pronghorn antelope and bison in these grassy fields. There are also coyote, Northern harriers, and American kestrels, which hunt in the abundant fields. Just north of Moose is Blacktail Pond -- not an actual pond, but a grazing site for moose and elk. Cascade Canyon is located west of Jenny Lake. There are mule deer, moose, and numerous songbirds. Many small animals in this area have become acclimated to humans; please do not feed them. Southeast of Jenny Lake is Timbered Island. Elk and pronghorn antelope forage here, moving from the island to sagebrush throughout the day.

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